Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Good Denim

It's important to have good denim. Good, strong denim that suits you and will last long and wear well. According to the tag on the Levi's I'm wearing, denim was created in 1873--or it was first sold in 1873. "May 20, 1873." The Levi's store in San Francisco is like Oz, resplendent. The Mother of the City. When I'm drunk in my room I like to lay my head on my desk and study the texture on my jeans.

It's important to keep a journal. But, I sometimes wonder if journals give it all; or , if they do, isn't it a shame? So, a writer or politician or artist dies and they publish their journals. The journals maybe give some context to what the person did. Keats once ate a handful of cayenne pepper at a party; another example of the passion in the early poems, the bright-eyed boy! But what did the writer/politician/artist think that he or she didn't write? That's what I want to read. There's that poem by Heather McHugh where she lays it out. Reading through some of my old journals tonight, I was impressed by the emotion and nakedness, but I can't help but wonder excitedly, what didn't I say?

It's important to have good shoelaces, an often overlooked fact. I just assume shoelaces will always work. I never realized how important shoelaces are until I had a bad set. On my brown Eccos in Boston. To be fair to the laces, Boston will wear on anything.

It's important to attach the appropriate adjectives to light. Everything happens inside of light. This is especially apparent when I'm under the influence of something--alcohol, weather. e.g. Grape light. e.g. Dusty light. e.g. Amber light. e.g. Steel light. Using your own adjectives is seeing things purely, is thinking for yourself. Priscilla remember when it had just finished raining and we drove to Costco and the light was shivering, the light was jewelled!

It's important not to tell the truth. The truth is obliterative. It's important to meet someone you respect who does something that you do that you're embarassed of. It's important to eat well--it's what you put into your body. It's also important to drink enough water. It's important to experience different climates. It's important to hide your sources, it's important to fuck and fuck and fuck and fuck!, it's important for me to remember that my mom reads this and I should stop writing before it gets even more out of hand.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I ran into my primary reader at the Elbo Room tonight!!

John Wheaton--I mentioned him in this post. We were in a poetry writing class together senior year and were responsible for reading each other's poetry and exchanging letters every week. It was us and this girl Lulu, a graduate student in I think Chinese literature. I don't know what happened to her.

& Cody bought me beer and pizza! & I met a singer-songwriter from Madison who does country/Americana stuff and I'm going to her CD release party next week! We split a veggie slice.

Are you out there Lulu?

Thursday, July 20, 2006

[Big Ocean

Haven't had a car to go to any more lumber stores + hosted a friend + interviewed and taught a demo lesson at KIPP Bayview + no money = bookcases temporarily on hold. The ocean is big it makes the noise of me waiting]

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

The Quest for Lumber, Day 1

Evening.

Walked to Cole Hardware. Windy. Salespeople tell me they don't usually do cuts this late but Okay, hurry up, what do you want? Tell them I need 1 X 10 pine. Salesman tells me they only have 1 X 12. Anything else? Nope. Salesman leaves, and I discover the 1 X 12 is mislabelled, should be labelled 1 X 10, but on measurement is more like 1 X 9 1/3. Frustration.

Monday, July 10, 2006

The Mandate

Part of moving into a new apartment is getting furniture.

I've decided to build two bookcases.

Follow me.